INDIANAPOLIS – Truman State University has been named as the recipient of the GLVC James R. Spalding Overall Sportsmanship Award for the 2016-17 season, it was announced by the league office Friday. In addition, 22 teams – one per sport, plus a tie – and 32 student-athletes, one male and one female per school – were named Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners as well.

Each institution – through the head coach – names one award honoree in each sport sponsored. These individual sport honorees became candidates for the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award. Each institution then selected one male and one female student-athlete from its season-long list of honorees to be named as James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Individual Award winners. 

Furthermore, during the initial nomination process, each institution’s coach will rank the top-three teams within the sport that best displayed good sportsmanship throughout the season. The team with the highest point total is then named that sport’s James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Team Award winner. At the conclusion of the academic year, the institution that accumulated the highest point total across all sports will be named the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Overall Award winner.

This accolade is Truman’s first-ever GLVC Sportsmanship Award. Under the direction of Director of Athletics Jerry Wollmering, the Bulldogs accumulated the most points during the 2016-17 season, featuring team sportsmanship wins in women’s cross country, football, women’s soccer, women’s swimming and baseball.
Saint Joseph’s raked in four program wins for men’s and women’s golf as well as men’s and women’s outdoor track and field. Behind the Pumas came Quincy with three top honors for volleyball as well as men’s and women’s tennis. Both Missouri S&T and last year’s overall winner, Maryville, had two selections apiece. The Miners won for men’s soccer and softball, while the Saints were chosen in women’s cross country and men’s basketball. The other honorees can be found below.

Among the notables for the sport winners include Truman’s first selection for its women’s cross country and soccer teams. Quincy’s volleyball squad was also chosen for the first time this year, along with the Maryville men’s basketball program and Bellarmine baseball. The S&T men’s soccer team earned a record fifth selection, while Miners softball got its fourth-straight laurel for a new GLVC standard in the sport. Earning back-to-back wins was Maryville women’s cross country, Rockhurst women’s basketball, William Jewell men’s swimming and diving, as well as Quincy men’s and women’s tennis. And in their final season of competition, the Saint Joseph’s men’s and women’s golf and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams were all picked for the first time.

Truman joins eight others schools as award winners in the nine-year period the honor has been presented. Former league member Northern Kentucky claimed the inaugural award in 2007-08, UW-Parkside earned it in 2008-09, Bellarmine claimed back-to-back titles in 2009-10 and 2010-11, Southern Indiana won the title for the 2011-12 academic year, Drury took home top honors in 2012-13, Lewis won from 2013-14, William Jewell was distinguished in 2014-15 and Maryville is the reigning winner from 2015-16.

2016-17 GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD WINNERS